newjerseynewsroom.com

BY BOB HOLT

NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM

Four-year old Jack Szablewski, who has never had a hair cut, needed to grow his straight blond hair at least 12 inches before he could donate them to the Childhood Leukemia Foundation in memory of his granddad and a child of a family friend who died of the cancer.

The Brick Township boy's mother, Renee Szablewski, now says her son has been expelled from the school because of the length of his hair. He had been growing his hair since birth for the benefit of patients at the Brooklyn, N.Y.-based National Children's Leukemia Foundation, one of the leading non-profit organizations in the battle against leukemia and cancer in children and adults.

However, St. Dominic, a private Catholic elementary school of Brick, N.J., notes as part of its dress code: "All students are required to be neat and clean in appearance and dress."

Furthermore, under the "jewelry and hair" section: "Boys' hair should be short and well-groomed. Hair length may not exceed the back of the shirt collar and should be above the eyes."

The Asbury Park Press reports Renee Szablewski said her son was expelled from the school for violating that requirement — a part of the handbook she claims was changed after she paid half the $2,500 tuition, in addition to a $75 registration fee, a $10 student activities fee, as well as $520 in donations.

Szablewski also maintains she was told by the school that Jack's long hair was no problem so long as it was cut by the time he entered kindergarten. Furthermore, though her son attended St. Dominic for less than seven full days, Jack attended the school's half-day preschool program. The family has been reimbursed $1,000 of the tuition. Szablewski is seeking the return of all her money.

Diocese of Trenton spokeswoman, Rayanne Bennett said the boy was given 13 months to donate his hair, starting September 2009, when school officials were told by Jack's mother about the boy's charity efforts. In addition, when Jack did not have his hair cut by Oct. 1, 2010, following an extension, Renee Szablewski refused to discuss the issue with St. Dominic administrators, Bennett said.

The family was reimbursed unused tuition monies. Other fees or donations cannot be returned, Bennett said. The registration fee is listed as nonrefundable on the school's website.

Renee Szablewski said she made an appointment to have Jack's hair cut the night of Sept. 30, but had to postpone the trip because of the weather. When she arrived at St. Dominic the next day, neither she nor Jack were allowed on school property, Szablewski said.

Szablewski said she tried to arrange a meeting with school principal Carol Bathmann at a time convenient to both her and her husband, Glen Szablewski. She said she was unable to meet at the times suggested by the principal, and her attempts to reschedule were not successful.

"The Szablewski child is completely innocent in this matter . . .," Bennett said.

"A 4-year-old boy is the victim," Szablewski said.

"I will be happy when somebody is going to have my hair," Jack said to the New York Post in the family's Ocean County backyard.

Right before school started, Jack raised $1,711 selling candy for a St. Dominic Church fund-raiser.